Bureau of Customs seizes gadgets from online store

Oh no! Goods from local online store Kimstore has been seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reports GMA News.

According to the source, BOC agents raided a building believed to be a depot of local online store Kimstore and seized a load of high-end gadgets, such as smartphones and cameras, last January 30, 2017. The gadgets seized include smartphones such as iPhone 7’s, Galaxy S7’s, Xperia’s, Nexus’ phones, ZenFone 3 Ultras; Canon Cameras, tablets, music players and more.

“There are plenty of cases wherein high-end communication and electronic gadgets are smuggled into the country through misdeclaration schemes – a top form of smuggling – used by smugglers to defraud and avoid paying correct duties and taxes to the government,” said Neil L. Estrella, Director of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS).

The BOC report cites a certain “Francis,” a Filipino-Chinese businessman from Binondo, as the owner of Kimstore. As of this time, they are still “validating intelligence reports” and will fully identify the real owners soon.

Meanwhile, the BOC has padlocked the depot and placed agents to guard the seized items.